Protodrilidae

Identification guide

Five described species of Protodrilidae are known from New Zealand, and there are unpublished reports of protodrilids from Queensland, Australia (R. Kristensen personal communication, cited in Paxton 2000). Both of the known genera are described below.

Parenterodrilus author, year
Type species Genus species Author, year
Description ...text... [After Author, year; figure supplied from Author, year
Comments monotypic ...
NOT in Nordheim (1989)- need generic diagnosis and figures.

Protodrilus Hatschek, 1880
Type species Polygordius purpureus Schneider, 1868
Description Slender, filiform body with stiff sensory cilia, cilia tufts and often with transversal ciliary rings. Trunk segments without parapodia or chaetae. Head region with two mobile tentacles, two nuchal organs, mostly two 'statocysts" occasionally two pigmented eyes and a ventral pharyngeal apparatus. Ventral ciliary band extending along entire body length. Normally two pygidial adhesive lobes. Segmental nephridial organs in all segments except for those containing gonoducts. Gonochoristic, indirect development of the eggs. Number of salivary glands in anterior segments species specific. [After Nordheim 1989]

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